On the same day, the federal Department of Transportation and three members of Congress took steps to block those calls.

Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx said in a statement to CNN that he is looking into the possibility of banning in-flight calls, citing its aviation consumer protection authority. The DOT will determine whether allowing calls is "fair to consumers."

Many people consider the idea of cell phone conversations annoying in the close confines of a plane, and some are casting it as a consumer rights issue.

"Over the past few weeks, we have heard of concerns raised by airlines, travelers, flight attendants, members of Congress and others who are all troubled over the idea of passengers talking on cell phones in flight -- and I am concerned about this possibility, as well," Foxx said.

20 rudest things people do on planes 21 photos

20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

20 rudest things people do on planes – What are the most annoying habits on airplanes? A series of seat recline skirmishes has passengers talking about the aggravations of air travel. Click through the gallery of 20 top irritants.

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20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

20. Abusing overhead bin space – You folded your suit coat nicely and placed your hat in the allotted overhead space. Too bad Bin Hog just mangled it all while shoving his suitcase, stroller and shopping bags into a space meant for one personal item.

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20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

19. Taking ages to choose a movie – Airplane movies: the opiate of the flying masses. Except when your hyperactive neighbor takes 30 minutes to decide between "Grown Ups 2" or something a little less cerebral. Such behavior earns "passengers who take too long to pick a movie" the number 19 spot on our "most annoying" list.

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20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

18. Compulsive leg-shaking – Coming in at spot 18 -- compulsive leg-shaking. The fidgety leg-shaker isn't all that common, but still annoying when encountered at altitude.

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20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

17. Boarding ahead of group number – Annoying behavior number 17? Boarding ahead of group number. Most airlines have a system for getting hundreds of passengers aboard in the least amount of time. That's why we schlep on as part of Group A or B or C. Just because you drew the short straw on this one doesn't give you the right to pretend to be dyslexic.

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20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

16. Babies crying – What's more annoying than people rushing to board the plane? Babies crying. Are we really blaming babies for doing what babies do naturally? Sure, as long as they're your kids, and not ours.

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20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

15. Getting huffy when you leave seat – "I'd learn some bladder control if I was in the window seat," runs the unspoken complaint. Number 15 on our list -- those who get huffy when you leave your seat.

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20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

14. Yacking on cell phone – "Hey, we just landed. ... can you hear me? ... we just landed ... I'm on the runway ... can you hear me now? ... We just landed ... " Annoying behavior number 14: Those who can't bear to wait to deplane before yacking on their cell phones.

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20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

13. Bringing aboard stinky food – We get it -- airlines have cut back on food service, forcing us all to bring our own snacks and meals onboard. But did you really have to clean out the back of your refrigerator? Bringing aboard stinky food isn't just annoying, it's gross too.

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20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

12. Loud talking – Hey, we're trying to read here. Number 12 on the rude behavior list: people who don't know how to use their inside voices on planes.

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20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

11. Establishing armrest hegemony – Coming in at number 11 -- elbow wars. Do you often find yourself elbowing someone else's arm off what should be a shared space? That's armrest hegemony. And it's annoying.

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20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

10. Poaching shared middle seat – Praise God, the middle seat is empty! Til the guy next to you employs annoying behavior number 10 and lays claim to the no man's land of the middle seat with a book, coat or inflatable neck support. Or long appendage.

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20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

9. Coughing, sneezing, germ sharing – Thanks for sharing your globules of diseased saliva. This lonely gentleman may have the only sensible approach to dealing with those who practice annoying behavior number nine -- germ sharing.

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20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

8. Playing games with sound on – Bleep, bloop, blorp. Funny how some of the most irritating things on the planet can be called "games." Even more irritating are people who play them, on a plane, with the sound turned on.

6. People behind trying to disembark first – Here we've regressed to the time before the invention of the queue. Don't you just hate people who rush from the back of the plane in an attempt to disembark first?

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20 rudest things people do on planes21 photos

5. Cutting fingernails – Another annoying behavior that also falls into the gross category -- cutting fingernails inflight. Toenails are also trimmed at 30,000 feet, but that would have been a really offensive picture.

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4. Baring feet – "Feet nudism" is a common complaint, earning it the number 4 spot on our list. Appalling side note: people who actually go to the bathroom on the airplane in their bare feet.

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3. Hogging toilets – We've all encountered the toilet hogger. What are they doing in there, you wonder as you hover cross-legged by the door. Certainly not being considerate of other people.

The FCC has been pelted with criticism in the last several weeks after the commission's new chairman made the announcement.

"I'm the last person in the world who wants to listen to someone talking to me while I fly across the country," FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler -- who proposed the change -- told a congressional panel Thursday. "But we are the technical agency, and we will make the rules for the way the new technology works."

The current requirement that cell phones may not be used in-flight would actually be expanded to include all bands, said Wheeler, unless airlines install new on-board equipment that prevents interference with terrestrial networks.

"The proposal would not require airlines to either install such equipment, or to offer mobile wireless services aboard their aircraft" he said. "Airlines would be free, within the confines of the rules of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Transportation (DOT), to make their own decisions. We simply propose that because new technology makes the old rule obsolete the FCC should get government out from between airlines and their passengers."

"If we move beyond what we do here today and actually update our rules to allow voice calls on planes we can see a future where our quiet time is monetized and seating in the silent section comes at a premium," said FCC commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel, who voted in favor of the proposal.

The Association of Flight Attendants, a union that has been leading a campaign against cell phone calls in-flight, promised to continue lobbying against the proposal. "As the last line of defense in our nation's aviation system, flight attendants understand the importance of maintaining a calm cabin environment, and passengers agree," said AFA president Veda Shook, in a statement.

A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday indicates most Americans want silence when they fly, with 59% saying they don't want the use of cell phones on airplanes and only 30% saying they are in favor of lifting the ban. A mute button is also a strong option among those polled.

Even a majority of tech-reliant younger respondents, ages 18 to 29, are against using phones on planes -- 52% opposed to 39% in favor.